A Two week Unit plan on Tim O’Brien’s
A Fifteen Day Unit plan on Tim O’Brien’s
The Things They Carried
Nicole Sears
Unit Overview
The novel that I will be teaching in my eleventh grade literature class is The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. The novel is a collection of “fiction based on fact” short stories that present a soldier’s experience in the Vietnam War. Not only does this novel offer tremendous insight into the experiences soldiers had in the war, but it also powerfully presents moving images through details and captivating language that make it exceptionally easy to read. The unit covers fifteen days and explores many important literary concepts (form, style, language) as well as historical elements about the Vietnam war and presents vivid characters grappling with moral and ethical dilemmas; offering students many opportunities for personal reflection.
O’Brien arranges his novel as a collection of short stories that can easily stand alone, but flow together seamlessly to create a fluid and moving narrative. The class will read the book mainly for homework, and respond to assigned questions in their reader response journals. We will discuss the chapters and students’ responses in class.
Assessment for this unit will be based on In-Class performances (30% of Grade), Completion of a portfolio consisting of journal responses/ creative writing based on journal entries, charts completed in class, and essay assignments (40% of Grade), and the completion of a poetry and fiction Webquest about The Things They Carried (30% of Grade). Students will be given all assignments and requirements for the final portfolio as well as a unit grading rubric early in the unit to ensure that they understand what is expected of them and stay on task.
The subject of the novel and the form and style of the book itself offers the opportunity to easily integrate lessons that include performance and interactive internet-based lessons. This unit should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for both teacher and students.
Unit Calendar
|Lesson 1 |Lesson 2 |Lesson 3 |Lesson 4 |Lesson 5 |
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|Intro to Vietnam War, |What do You Carry? |Let’s Talk About Love |Allegory, Symbolism, |Who Can We Trust? |
|Pre-Reading- | | |Politics, Man! | |
|KWL Chart, |Performance- Rate the |Detail Drumming | |Performance- Scene |
|Performance- |Weight | |Movie clip- Pinocchio |Reconstruction |
|Interviews, | |Oxymorons | | |
|Free Write-Letters |Cataloguing | |Symbolism |Subtext Exercise |
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| | | |Internal Conflict | |
|Lesson 6 |Lesson 7 |Lesson 8 |Lesson 9 |Lesson 10 |
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|Storytelling True or |Mary Mary Quite Contrary |How to Dress For Church: |The Dead Man Speaks, | |
|False? | |Ironically |O’Brien Answers | |
| |Web Research- Women in | | |STUDENT PERFORMANCE |
|“False Fact” Sheet |Vietnam |Music clip- |Point of View | |
| | |Alanis Morissette’s ”Ironic” | | |
|Begin “True War Story |Continue Newscast Project | |Performance- Split Read | |
|Newscast” Project | |Irony/Symbolism- “Symbol | |“TRUE WAR STORY NEWSCAST” |
| | |Shout Out” Activity |Continue Newscast Project | |
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| | |Continue Newscast Project | | |
|Lesson 11 |Lesson 12 |Lesson 13 |Lesson 14 |Lesson 15 |
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|Courage: A Work in |Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire! |Tim O’Brien: Master of |Releasing the Inner Child |Happily Ever After? |
|Progress | |Suspense | | |
| |Contradictions- | |Allegory |Final Discussion |
|Tableaux Vivant- “Style” |Read Around |Suspense/Dark Imagery | | |
| | | |Web Activity- Excerpts |Complete KWL Chart |
|Writing Activity- “Write |Match Game- |Write Around- |from O’Brien’s speech, | |
|About Writing” |“Story-Truth” |“Scary Stories” |“Writing Vietnam" |Summary Activity |
| |”Happening-Truth” | | |-“One-Liners” |
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| |Unreliable Narrator | | |Final Assignments |
Lesson 1 What do You Know About That?
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|What’s On For Today And wHy?|Today we will brainstorm what we know and what we hope to learn about the Vietnam War. We will |
| |discuss predictions about the novel based on KWL charts, and we will read (and perform) primary source|
| |documents from the War. This will help prepare students to read and comprehend the novel. |
| |1. KWL Chart |
| |Hand out KWL Charts to each student and have them break into groups of four. While in their groups, |
| |they will brainstorm what they know about being a soldier in the Vietnam War and fill it in under the |
| |“K” (What You Know) column. Then the groups will continue filling in the chart with the “W” (What You|
|What to do |Want to Learn) column, listing things they hope to learn after reading the novel. The last column, |
| |“L” (What You Have Learned) will be filled in later. Each group will be asked to share their lists |
| |with the class while a master KWL chart is compiled. This master chart should be displayed in the |
| |classroom throughout the unit. |
| |2. In Their Own Words- Free Writing |
| |Distribute copies of letters from Vietnam soldiers to each student. Have two or three students read |
| |each letter aloud. Ask students to write for a few minutes a short response to the letters (a letter |
| |back to the soldier, another letter from the soldier, etc.) Students who would like to may share |
| |their responses with the class |
| |3. In Their Own Words- Performance |
| |Hand out copies of an interview with a Vietnam Veteran to students. Assign roles to students |
| |(interviewer, interviewee) and have them perform the interviews aloud. |
| |Ask students to share their thoughts on the similarities and differences between the letters and the |
| |interviews. |
| |4. Homework |
| |Distribute copies of the novel, the unit’s grading rubric and the journal questions. Students should |
| |read “The Things They Carried” for homework and answer journal question #1. |
| |If the students had a general idea of what being a Vietnam soldier meant when they came in, their |
|How Did It Go? |scope of knowledge should at this point be narrowing through the KWL activity and experiencing actual |
| |soldiers’ own words. They should have a more specific frame of reference as we begin the novel. |
Lesson 1 Handouts- KWL Chart
KWL CHART
Use this chart to gather your background information about what it was like to be a soldier in the Vietnam War. In the “K” column, list everything you know (or even kind of know) about the topic. In the “W” column, list everything you want to know about the topic. We will fill in the “L” column later when we see what you have actually learned from reading the book.
|K |W |L |
|(What I know about this topic) |(What I’d like to know about this topic) |(What I have learned about this topic) |
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Lesson 1 Handouts
In Their Own Words
The following is an actual letter sent from a soldier in Vietnam to his wife.
25 May, 1968
Dear Roberta,
Today is probably the worst day I have ever lived in my entire, short life. Once again we were in contact with Charlie, and once again we suffered losses. The losses we had today hit home, as my best friend in this shit hole was killed. He was only 22 years old and was going on R&R on the first of June to meet his wife in Hawaii. I feel that if I was only a half second sooner in pulling the trigger, he would still be alive.
Strange how short a time a half of a second is--the difference between life and death. This morning we were talking about how we were only two years different in age and how we both had gotten married before coming to this place. You know, I can still feel his presence as I write this letter and hope that I am able to survive and leave this far behind me.
If there is a place called Hell this surely must be it, and we must be the Devil's disciples doing all his dirty work. I keep asking myself if there is a God, then how the hell come young men with so much to live for have to die. I just hope that his death is not in vain.
I look forward to the day when I will take my R&R. If I play my cards right, I should be able to get it for Hawaii so our anniversary will be in that time frame. The reason I say this is by Sept., I will have more than enough time in country to get my pick of places and dates. I promise I will do everything necessary to insure that I make that date, and I hope that tomorrow is quiet.
We will be going into base camp soon for our three-day stand down. I will try to write you a longer letter at that time. Please don't worry too much about me, as if you won't, for I will take care of myself and look forward to the day I am able to be with you again.
Love,
Stan
[pic]
copyright © 1997 by Stanley Homiski, all rights reserved
[pic]
Lesson 1 Handouts
In Their Own Words The following is an actual letter sent from a Vietnam soldier to his family.
11-Sept.-69
Dear Mom and Dad,
Getting short, Mom, coming home pretty soon. Going to quit flying soon, too much for me now. I went in front of a board for sp/5 will know soon if i made it. I have now 20 oak leaf clusters and some more paper for you. I have flown 1500 hours now, and in those hours I could tell you a lifetime story. I have been put in for a medal again, but this time I have seen far beyond of what ever you will see. That is why I'm going to quit flying. I dream of Valerie's hand touching mine telling me to come home; but I wake up, and it's some sergeant telling me I have to fly. Today I am 21, far away but coming home older.
Love,
Larry
[pic]
I'm sad to say, Larry died within 24 hours after this letter was written
Lesson 1 Handouts
In Their Own Words
The following are interviews conducted by two High School students with a Vietnam Veteran.
Human Shields
Copyright © 1970
by:Gene Kuentzler
Dear Student: I will try to answer your questions for your research project.
1. Q: What branch of the military did you serve in?
A: U.S. Army, 19th Combat Engineers (I would like to invite you to visit our 19th Combat Engineer Battalion, Association Vietnam webpage). We built the roads and bridges, while being ambushed, stepping on landmines and booby traps.
2. Q: What was your rank?
A: Sergeant. I had 18 men, with lots of explosives and weapons of various types of firepower. I got out and came home in August of 1967 and couldn't buy a beer for four months, as I wasn't yet 21.
3. Q: Where were you stationed?
A: Near the village of Tam Quan, 1/2 klick away, on the South China Sea, the same place where, then LTC Schwartzkopf took 50% casualties on his ARVN Ranger battalion in just 3 hours as they tried to cross a rice paddy at the village of Tam Quan.
4. Q: Where and when did you see battle? What was it like?
A: Tam Quan. We were operating large and noisy air compressors to run two-men air driven chain saws ten feet long. My crew was clearing the jungle and coconut trees just outside our perimeter to create a safety zone, when we were caught in the cross-fire of an ambush by the VC and 1st Cav.
We didn't notice right away because our equipment was noisier than the battle. In a typical noisy Engineer task, one doesn't know you are being shot at until the dirt spits up at you or windshields start shattering or someone gets hit.
5. Q: What do you remember most about your service in Vietnam?
A: This is just one example of many which occurred: Even then, my crew would always remark that we are so lucky to have been born an American. In Vietnam, the people of the North are of a different descent, class and culture from those of the South. The people of the South feared those of the North, who many times would enter a village and grab the town mayor, school teachers and others who were educated, line them up and force the entire village to watch as these people were executed. Then, they would instruct the others that Americans were the "true" enemy and they would suffer the same penalties if they were seen aiding the Americans, then they would impose a crop "tax" where each family had to provide a large percentage of their crops to the VC and NVA.
Most Americans do not realize how fortunate we are. Other than the Civil War, our country hadn't been destroyed by war, our women didn't have to sell their bodies to feed their children, while living in filthy unsanitary conditions.
6. Q: What was the saddest thing that happened to you during the war?
A: Each and every time I lost a buddy to an ambush, mine, or booby trap. And after a crew was ambushed and didn't survive, when we go out to do a body recovery . . . many times they had been castrated, sometimes, some had still been alive at the time--then they were executed. It was very disappointing that Walter Cronkite (national news commentator) never reported this to the American public.
7. Q: What was the most rewarding?
A: To see that we were doing some good in helping the people. Guys in our unit wrote home and asked family members to send clothes that their children or siblings had out-grown. It was great to see the smiling faces on the children of St. St. Joseph's Orphanage, near Qui Nhon, each and every time we would take a load of clothes and other items to donate to them.
Also, the villagers of Bong Son, who always warned us of an ambush or where a mine was placed. The villagers did this because in Oct 1966 they had been used in a battle as "human shields" by the 22nd NVA regiment.
When the NVA attacked, the 19th was repairing a major bridge they had blown. The battle lasted all through the night. The next day our Battalion Surgeon, Thomas Reardon, had his 5 medics set-up 5 tents and for the next 36 hours they treated over 800 villagers non-stop and with no sleep. They had lost about 700 or 800 of their relatives because of the NVA attack.
8. Q: At the time, what did you think you were fighting for?
A: We were there at the request of the people of South Vietnam to aid and teach them in how to improve their lot so they could resist the infiltration by the North Vietnamese Army. Those of the South, were not as technically educated as those of the North.
9. Q: Who was the enemy?
A: North Vietnam, and the United States "State Department," and our Secretery of Defense (Robert McNamara), who would not allow our military leaders to do the jobs they had been trained for. That job was to conduct battle with as few allied casualties as possible, while inflicting the maximum damage on the enemy. But we were also trained to render assistance to the civilians who were affected as well--something North Vietnam did not do.
10. Q: How have your war experiences changed your life?
A: A better understanding that our government and our politicians do not represent the best interests of the American people. Even when the nation is engaged in a war, politicians are more concerned about their next re-election, and how they can line their pockets for future retirement. Election promises are not kept, and lately, credibility and integrity are not in today's politicians vocabulary.
11. Q: What one lesson do you think I should learn from remembering Vietnam?
A: The success of WWII was a direct result of the WWI soldier's generation maturing and making strategy plans for the way WWII would be conducted. They bombed the beaches before the D-Day invasion, as well as the ball-bearing factories at Schwienfurt, Germany. They were prepared to win and not fight only to a political stalemate.
The 18 or 20 year old soldier of WWII, was the generation who were the Commanders and Staff Planners for the Korea War and Vietnam War. In Vietnam, they were restricted by orders from the State Department and Secretary of State, and not allowed to pursue strategic bombing of Hanoi when it would have been most effective. Our pilots were not allowed to bomb acres and acres of SAM missiles stored in the Haiphong Harbor and around Hanoi. Only after they were established as actual missile sites in the jungle were our pilots allowed to engage the SAMs. They weren't allowed to bomb the Ho Chi Minh Trail in countries bordering Vietnam (Cambodia and Laos), although those countries were looking the other way when the NVA were using them for a safe haven. Had the WWI soldier who made the plans for WWII conducted themselves in such a manner, the result of WWII would have been much different.
Gene Kuentzler, Sgt.
19th Combat Engineer Battalion
S-3 Battalion Operations, '66-'67
[pic]
1. Q: Upon your return to the United States, what was your reaction to the news coverage on the war in Vietnam?
A: I was devastated, Upon my return in August 1967, I was very disappointed to see the biased news coverage showing Americans as having a disregard for the people. They weren't showing the many good things were continually being done by the soldiers in my unit, and others. Although we took casualties on a regular basis. Ours were not the only humanitarian efforts being performed, many other units were also contributing to efforts to help the people. The news media has never shown how our unit supported an orphanage, and also a leper colony. Our guys would write home and have used clothing from their siblings or children shipped over, and regularly these items were part of what we continually donated, as well as food.
Also in portraying us as baby killers when they played up the Mi Lai killings. What was never made public is that Mi Lai was colored "pink" on all our maps, it was nicknamed pinkville which meant it was a very strong communist village. Each and every time that unit patrolled past there, they lost more & more buddies. Upon entering the village to search out the enemy, they would only find women and children who were the families of the VC, the males all hid and could not be found.
To better understand, look around your classroom and visualize that today the friend next to your left dies, tomorrow the one seated behind you dies, then next day the two or three to your right are gone. Imagine this taking place daily for a month. How would you feel? Not-ONCE did the media ever show what the enemy was doing to American soldiers they captured. One example was when our heavy equipment platoon was ambushed, after running out of ammunition and putting up a good fight, they were overrun. When the bodies were recovered they had been stacked in the road like cordwood . . . everyone had been castrated, I heard that some had still been alive at the time. 2. Q: What do you remember about your trip home?
A: The first thing I had to have on my return was a gallon of vanilla ice cream, a gallon of milk, a steak, and some private companionship, not necessarily in that order.
I'll never forget my first morning home. I was outside just at daybreak and enjoying the early morning smell of the fresh air with a cup of coffee. (Vietnam smells awful, everything is either growing or rotting) I was unable to sleep because of the time change and my inner thoughts . . . Wondering if I was just dreaming and something again would startle me awake to reality that I was still there. Once I realized I was actually home, I started to feel as if I'd abandoned my buddies . . . here I was now safe . . . as it was now morning for me . . . when it would be morning for them I could visualize everything they'd be doing. Washing, eating chow then going out on the road to do minesweeps and my crew clearing more jungle and encountering more boobytraps and mines left by the NVA.
3. Q: How did you feel about the anti-war protests at home?
A: I feel the anti-war protestors added to our casualties by inspiring the enemy. Without the protestors, the list of 58,000 names that are now on The Wall would have been much much smaller. When I left in 1967 we had won every major engagement with the VC and NVA, they were on their knees and on the verge of surrender. Besides the NVA losing every major battle, their supply channels through the Ho Chi Mihn trail had been cut, their troop moral was at its lowest. The Tet '68 offensive was designed to be one-last-effort to try to raise the moral of the NVA troops. When it was over, General Giap (commander of NVA troops) considered it to be a failure, until they saw Walter Cronkite (TV commentator) describe Tet '68 as a communist success.
4. Q: Did you enlist or were you drafted? If enlisted, why?
A: I enlisted, my father died when I was 8 years old and the Social Security was going to end when I turned 18. I was sending money home to help support my six siblings. Also, President John Kennedy had just been assassinated and it was the theme of Americans to: "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country".
5. Q: Are you proud to have been a soldier in the Vietnam War?
A: Yes, we soldiers did exactly what we had been trained for. The result was not due to the efforts of the soldiers, but for the misguided shackles that were bound upon us by the likes of LBJ and Robert McNamara not leaving decisions with the commanders, but making the decisions themselves over breakfast in the White House. You should also know that McNamara has quite a track record . . . Prior to being posted as Secretary of Defense, when he was employed by Ford motor company it was his hand that created the Edsel, another of his failures.
6. Q: Did you constantly support the war, were you always against it, or did you flip-flop?
A: Do this . . . Next time the TV shows the communist invasion of the south in 1975, two years after America pulled out to leave it in the hands of the South Vietnamese. Turn the sound off so as to not be influenced by the commentator. Watch what is happening . . . the South Vietnamese are fleeing in fear ahead of the NVA advance. They did not wish to be controlled by the communists, they wanted to have their own country and be able to plow their own fields for their families and to sell the rice on the open market as they had done for centuries, and not have to plow the soil which would be owned by the state. Especially for the North Vietnamese who had assassinated and murdered their relatives during night invasions of their villages.
7. Q: How long did it take you to readjust to American life after serving in the military and spending a year in Vietnam?
A: We still ask if we ever will . . . I came home 20 going on 45 and all the things my old friends were placing a big importance on . . . was so childish to me.
8. Q: What do you want people to remember about the Vietnam war?
A: The success of WWII was the result of the WWI veterans, who were no longer 20 years old soldiers as they themselves had been during WWI. During WWII they were now the Commanding Generals and Staff Planners who made sure everything of the enemy was bombed and destroyed. They also made sure that patriotism was alive a well in this country, they did not allow their sons to return home from WWII to silence as they had experienced. They orchestrated the flag waving and parades for their sons return, which helped keep patriotism alive in this country.
The WWII generation did not do likewise for their sons from Korea or Vietnam. During Vietnam, our pilots were not allowed to bomb the SAM missiles sitting on ships in Haiphong harbor, or in the vast acres of storage facilities that looked like a huge new-car lot. Only after the SAMs were hidden in the jungle would our pilots be allowed to bomb them. This is just one of many examples limiting what we could and could not do . . . controlled by politicians.
The low casualties of Desert Storm were the result of the Vietnam veterans who were no longer 20 years old, but were the Commanding Generals and Staff Planners who made the decisions on how the war would be conducted.
9. Q: How do you think educators should cover material on the Vietnam war?
A: By the keen manner in which you have directed your questions. Apparently you are not taking as written in stone, the typical media hype. You are seeking to find other information from one who has actually been there and has seen things differently than what was actually being reported back home by the media.
10. Q: What information is most important, in your opinion?
American Politicians and the South Vietnamese Army. We left in 1973, and the ARVNs only held out for two more years before losing their country in 1975.
Our State Department has always stepped in and stopped the military just as victory was truly at hand. In WWII the Americans were halted, and had to wait so the Russian Army could catch up and meet them in Berlin. In Korea, Gen. McArthur was stopped when he was on a roll. In Desert Storm, our State Department advised President Bush to call it to a halt so as to not have Iraq without a leader and cause an imbalance in the region, with Iran still powerful.
Billions of dollars being wasted in Bosnia in efforts to boost the credibility of the U.N. and its' One-World-Army concept. Can you name even one U.N. mission which was a success?
The expense of supporting these many failed U.N. missions are such a drain on our military budget, that our politicians are covering it up by closing military bases, deactivating units, and reducing our military strength to be the lowest it's been since before WWII. The 1930's was also a time when politicians were not concerned with our weak military strength. Our military equipment was old and antiquated up to the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. Today, communist Red China is building their military just as Japan did in the 1930's and all the while proclaiming to be our friend, just as Japan did during that time.
I have concern over what will be our next Pearl Harbor. Especially since many people tend to forget, these are not simply American soldiers. They are our sons, daughters, husbands and wives.
Thank You for you interest and I hope this veteran's view will help you in your project.
Our 19th Engineer Battalion website is at: . Another good veterans site where you may find some useful information can be found at: .
Gene Kuentzler, Unit historian
19th Combat Engineer Battalion
S-3 Battalion Operations, 1966-1967
Lesson 1- Handouts
Unit Grading Rubric
The unit will be graded based on three things:
1. Your production of a final portfolio. The requirements for the portfolio and their percentage of your final grade for the unit are listed on a separate handout. (A big part of your portfolio is your reading response journal. Be sure to complete all entries and have your question sheet initialed by me at the beginning of every class.)
2. Your in-class performances. This will be graded based on participation and enthusiasm, so get active! If you do group performances, part of your grade will be based on how well your group works together. This will be obvious in your performances- if you all work together and cooperate, then your performances should go smoothly and be well organized.
** Your grade will be increased if you go “beyond the assignment”
add props, costumes, and whatever else you can think of to
enhance your performances for extra credit!
3. Your Webquest assignment. Be sure to complete your Webquest (due the
Monday after the end of the unit) on time and completely. Have fun and be
creative!
Percentages of Assignments:
Portfolio = 40%
Performances = 30%
Webquest = 30%
TOTAL = 100%
Lesson 1- Handouts
Portfolio Requirements
And Rubric
Portfolio Due: (1 week from the end of the unit)
All entries in your portfolio must be typed in size 12 Times New Roman font and double-spaced. Your portfolio must have a cover (plastic cover, folder, binder, etc.) and it must include the following:
- Your signed journal questions sheet
- 10 journal entries (you may choose your best ones)
- Your completed KWL chart
- A 1 page essay that describes what knowledge you had before reading the book, what you wanted to learn from the book and what you did learn from doing this unit (using your KWL chart).
- Your completed characterization chart.
- A 3-5 page critical essay that explores any one of the major themes of the book (your discretion, but submitted to me in writing and approved no later than one week before the portfolio is due) and how that theme is represented in 1-2 characters. Your essay should be based on the character chart we made in class as well as your responses to the chapter discussion questions and should include quotes from the novel to back up your argument.
The grading of the portfolio will be as follows:
Signed Journal Questions = 10 points
Journal Entries = 20 points
KWL chart = 5 points
KWL essay = 25 points
Characterization Chart = 10 points
Critical Essay = 30 points
Total = 100 points
***Points will be taken off for spelling/grammar mistakes in your essays and for incomplete charts.
Lesson 1- Handouts
Journal Questions
Keep this sheet in a SAFE PLACE!!! Tape it to the inside of your journal cover, or to your copy of The Things They Carried. Laminate it and sleep with it under your pillow, just don’t lose it!! You are required to have this sheet initialed at the beginning of every class after you have shown me your completed journal entry. This sheet will end up in your final portfolio, so again, DON’T LOSE IT!! (I will NOT sign duplicates) Your journal entries should be at least two paragraphs.
|Entry |Initials |Chapter Name |Question |
|# | | | |
|1 | |“The Things They Carried” |Why is the first story written in third person? What effect does this have |
| | | |on the reader? |
|2 | |“Love” |What does Jimmy Cross’ story about Martha at the movies have to do with Ted |
| | | |Lavender? Why does he describe the scene so vividly? |
|3 | |“Spin” |What does it mean when O’Brien writes, in his “peace story,” “All that |
| | | |peace, man, it felt so good it hurt. I want to hurt it back.” What does |
| | | |this say about peace? About the Vietnam War? |
|4 | |“On the Rainy River” |Who is Elroy Berdhal? What do you think he represented to O’Brien? What is|
| | | |O’Brien’s definition of courage in this chapter? Do you think it’s the same|
| | | |now? |
|5 | |“Enemies” |Why did Jensen break his own nose? |
|6 | |“Friends” |How did Strunk and Jensen become friends? Why did Jensen feel relieved to |
| | | |hear that Strunk had died? |
|7 | |“How to Tell a True War |According to O’Brien, how do you tell a true war story? What does he mean |
| | |Story” |when he says that true war stories are never about war? |
|8 | |“The Dentist” |Why did Curt Lemon have his tooth pulled in the end? |
|9 | |“Sweetheart of the Song Tra|What transforms Mary Anne into a killer? Does it matter that she’s a woman?|
| | |Bong” |Why does O’Brien let Rat Kiley tell part of the story? Does Rat’s story fit|
| | | |O’Brien’s criteria for how to tell a true war story? |
|10 | |“Stockings” |Explain the “magic” of the stockings. Why did everyone believe in them so |
| | | |much? |
|11 | |“Church” |Why does O’Brien include this scene? Explain the irony of the situation |
|12 | |“The Man I Killed” |Who tells the story in this chapter? (Hint: this is not an easy question) |
| | | |O’Brien knows many intimate details about the man he killed. How does he |
| | | |know this? Where do these details come from? |
|13 | |“Ambush” |Who tells the story in this chapter? How does it differ from “The Man I |
| | | |Killed”? Do you think this story is true? |
|14 | |“Style” |WHAT is this chapter about?! |
|15 | |“Speaking of Courage” |Explain the title; what does courage mean in this sense? This is the only |
| | | |other story (besides “The Things They Carried”) written in third person. Why|
| | | |are these stories set apart in this way? |
|16 | |“Notes” |What is the effect of this story, in which O’Brien explains the story behind|
| | | |“Speaking of Courage”? Does your appreciation of the story change when you |
| | | |learn which parts are “true” and which parts are the author’s invention? |
|17 | |“In the Field” |In this chapter, O’Brien writes, “When a man died, there had to be blame.” |
| | | |What does this mandate do to the men of O’Brien’s company? Are they |
| | | |justified in blaming themselves? How do they handle the guilt? |
|18 | |“Good Form” |In this chapter, O’Brien casts doubt on the validity of the entire novel. |
| | | |Why does he do this? What is the difference between “happening-truth” and |
| | | |“story-truth”? Explain which one O’Brien thinks is more important (if any). |
|19 | |“Field Trip” |What is the effect of O’Brien taking his daughter to Vietnam? Why did he go |
| | | |back? |
|20 | |“The Ghost Soldiers” |This is one of the only stories we don’t know the ending to in advance. Why |
| | | |does O’Brien want this story to be particularly suspenseful? How do you feel|
| | | |about O’Brien’s actions in this chapter? |
|21 | |“Night Life” |Explain the use(s) of the term “night life” in this chapter. What happened |
| | | |to Rat Kiley? |
|22 | |“The Lives of the Dead” |What do you make of Linda? Why does O’Brien include this story in the novel?|
| | | |What does Linda symbolize for him? |
|23 | |(none) |Why do you think O’Brien wrote this book? What is the effect of constantly |
| | | |reminding the reader that the stories aren’t true? How do you feel about the|
| | | |book as a whole? |
Lesson 2 What Do You Carry?
| |Today we will begin reading the novel and perform it together as a class. We will also catalogue what|
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|each character carries and role-play the literal weight that each had to carry in order to understand |
| |the feeling of the symbolic weight in the novel. Students will think about the things that they carry|
| |(literally and figuratively) to better understand the theme of the book. |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students should present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. Read Around |
| |Distribute copies of the novel. Students will take turns reading lines from the first chapter of the |
|What to do |novel, switching readers at the appearance of each character’s name. |
| |3. Cataloguing- Tangible and Non Tangible “Things” |
| |Distribute Characterization Charts and have students break into small groups. Together, they will |
| |read through the first chapter again, listing each “thing” the characters carried- both tangible and |
| |intangible. Class will then discuss the characters’ burdens as a whole. |
| |4. Rate the Weight- Role-Play Performance |
| |From their characterization charts, students will add up the amount of literal weight each character |
| |carried. We will have a scale in the room and find various objects that equal that weight. Students |
| |will feel the actual weight that the soldiers had to carry and walk around the classroom with it. We |
| |will then discuss why O’Brien lists the exact weight of the soldiers’ items and what effect that has |
| |on the reader. |
| |5. Homework |
| |Students will make a “characterization chart” for themselves, listing the things that they carry in |
| |their backpack, purse, etc., what those things mean to them and/or the implications they have. They |
| |will also read “Love” and “Spin” and answer journal questions 2 &3. |
| |The students should have gotten a feel for O’Brien’s writing style by reading the first chapter out |
|How Did It Go? |loud in class. The weighing activity should have illustrated O’Brien’s use of words and concepts to |
| |convey feelings. Through the homework assignment, they will be thinking about what they carry |
| |everyday and how the concepts in the novel can apply to their lives. |
Lesson 2- Handouts
Characterization Chart
As you read “The Things They Carried” with your group, fill in the things that each character carried (both tangible and intangible)
|Character |Tangible Things They Carried |Intangible Things They Carried |
| | | |
|Lieutenant Jimmy Cross | | |
| | | |
|Henry Dobbins | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|Dave Jensen | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|Ted Lavender | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|Mitchell Sanders | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|Norman Bowker | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|Rat Kiley | | |
| | | |
| | | |
|Kiowa | | |
| | | |
Lesson 3 Let’s Talk About Love
| |Today we will discuss the concepts of love and death. Students will perform an activity to highlight |
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|descriptive language as well as discuss contradictions with a brainstorming exercise. Through the |
| |activities, students will realize the impact of using descriptive language and contradictions. |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students will present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. What’s Love Got to Do With It? |
| |The class will have a discussion about their journal entries for the chapter, “Love.” We will discuss|
|What to do |what “love” stands for, what it means to the characters and how it is presented in the novel |
| |3. Detail Drumming |
| |The class will read the chapter, “Love,” with the teacher reading aloud. The students will be |
| |instructed to tap on their desks with their fingers whenever they hear descriptive language. If there|
| |is a passage that has a lot of detail, the drumming should get louder. We will repeat this process |
| |with “Spin” and discuss the differences between the two and why these differences are there. |
| |4. Jumbo Shrimp and Other Images of War |
| |Students will be given approximately 10 minutes to read through “Spin” again silently and to jot down |
| |any images or scenes that seem like an oxymoron or contradictory. They will list their answers as a |
| |class and we will discuss why O’Brien contradicts himself or uses opposing images to write about |
| |Vietnam. |
| |5. Homework |
| |Students will read “On The Rainy River” and answer question 4 in their journals. |
| |The students gained an awareness of the use of detailed description in the novel. Through the |
|How Did It Go? |drumming exercise and comparing “Love” with “Spin,” they were made aware of the importance of detail. |
| |Through the contradiction exercise, students gained insight into the contradictory nature of the |
| |Vietnam War itself and the soldiers’ feelings about the War. |
Lesson 4 Allegory, Symbolism, Politics, Man!
| |Today we will discuss allegory and symbolism and how O’Brien uses these devices in “On the Rainy |
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|River.” Students will watch a clip from Disney’s “Pinocchio” and compare Jiminy Cricket with Elroy |
| |Berdahl. We will also discuss “pig-declotting” and other symbols in the chapter. Students will |
| |reflect on the inner conflict O’Brien dealt with about going to war and being courageous. |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students will present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. Movie Time |
| |The class will watch a short clip from Disney’s “Pinocchio” that introduces Jiminy Cricket as |
|What to do |Pinocchio’s conscience. We will talk about how Elroy Berdahl acts as Tim O’Brien’s conscience (or how|
| |he doesn’t). Students will be asked to break into groups and find in the chapter specific advice |
| |given by Elroy. They will be asked to speculate what would have happened if he had given exactly the |
| |opposite advice to Tim. |
| |3. Blood Clots and Symbols and War, Oh My! |
| |The class will do a close reading of the “pig-declotting” section of the chapter and discuss why it is|
| |in the novel at all, what the symbolism is, how it relates to Tim O’Brien’s experience of the Vietnam |
| |War, etc. |
| |4. Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Off to War He Goes- Inner Conflict |
| |Students will discuss why O’Brien did or did not want to go to the Vietnam war and why he ended up |
| |going after all. We will also close read O’Brien’s definition of courage in this chapter and |
| |speculate as to if it is the same now as it was then. |
| |5. Homework |
| |Students will read “Enemies” and “Friends” and answer questions 5 and 6 in their journals. |
| |If students pointed out symbols and allegories in the chapter and reflected on their importance to the|
|How Did It Go? |book, to the author, and to the reader, the lesson went well. They should have a better understanding|
| |about the internal conflict O’Brien had about going to war. |
Lesson 5 Who Can We Trust?
| |Today we will examine the relationship between Lee Strunk and Dave Jensen. We will perform dialogue |
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|and the fight scene from “Enemies” in pairs of two. We will then do a performance activity as a class|
| |using excerpts from “Friends” to demonstrate subtext. After the activities, we will discuss the |
| |effects of subtext. |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students will present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. Scene Reconstruction |
| |In pairs of two, students will have ten minutes to prepare to act out the fight scene from “Enemies” |
|What to do |on pages 62-64. Students will be given free range over how they want to perform the scene, they can |
| |add or delete movements, sounds, etc. The only guideline for performing the scene is that they have |
| |to include all the actions originally written in the scene. After the pairs have prepared their |
| |scenes, each one will perform for the class. |
| |3. “Oh!”- Subtext Exercise |
| |Have the class arrange their desks in a large circle so that everyone is facing each other. |
| |Distribute index cards to every other student with the word “oh” on the front and various subtexts on |
| |the back (i.e. “I’m happy,” “I’m disappointed,” “I’m in pain”). Have students read their “Oh” with the|
| |indicated subtext while the rest of the class guesses what the subtext is. |
| |We will repeat this exercise using index cards with lines from “Enemies” on the front and similar |
| |subtexts to the first exercise on the back. |
| |The class will then read “Friends” in a read-around, with the right subtexts and inflections. |
| |4. Homework |
| |Students will read “How to Tell a True War Story” and “The Dentist” and answer questions 7 and 8 in |
| |their journals. |
| |If students got a sense of how inflection and subtext can change the meaning of words and applied this|
|How Did It Go? |successfully to the scene in “Friends,” the lesson was a success. They should have gotten an idea of |
| |the intensity of the soldiers’ emotions from performing the fight scene from “Enemies.” |
Lesson 5- Handouts
“Enemies” Fight Scene pp. 62-64
Perform the following scene in pairs any way you want to- you can add details, movements or sounds, just make sure you include what was originally written in the scene. Remember- this is ACTING not actual fighting. All physical actions will be PRETENDED!!!
One morning in late July, while we were out on patrol near LZ Gator, Lee Strunk and Dave Jensen got into a fistfight. It was about something stupid- a missing jackknife- but even so the fight was vicious. For a while it went back and forth, but Dave Jensen was much bigger and much stronger, and eventually he wrapped an arm around Strunk’s neck and pinned him down and kept hitting him on the nose. He hit him hard. And he didn’t stop. Strunk’s nose made a sharp snapping sound, like a firecracker, but even then Jensen kept hitting him, over and over, quick stiff punches that did not miss. It took three of us to pull him off. When it was over, Strunk had to be choppered back to the rear, where he had his nose looked after, and two days later he rejoined us wearing a metal splint and lots of gauze.
In any other circumstance it might’ve ended there, But this was Vietnam, where guys carried guns, and Dave Jensen started to worry. It was mostly in his head. There were no threats, no vows of revenge, just a silent tension between them that made Jensen take special precautions. On patrol he was careful to keep track of Strunk’s whereabouts. He dug his foxholes on the far side of the perimeter, he kept his back covered’ he avoided situations that might put the two of them alone together. Eventually, after a week of this, the strain began to create problems. Jensen couldn’t relax. Like fighting two different wars, he said. No safe ground: enemies everywhere. No front or rear. At night he had trouble sleeping- a skittish feeling- always on guard, hearing strange noises in the dark, imagining a grenade rolling into his foxhole or the tickle of a knife against his ear. The distinction between good guys and bad guys disappeared for him. Even in times of relative safety, while the rest of us took it easy, Jensen would be sitting with his back against a stone wall, weapon across his knees, watching Lee Strunk with quick, nervous eyes. It got to the point finally where he lost control. Something must’ve snapped. One afternoon he began firing his weapon into the air, yelling Strunk’s name, just firing and yelling, and it didn’t stop until he’d rattled off an entire magazine of ammunition. We were all flat on the ground. Nobody had the nerve to go near him. Jensen started to reload, but then suddenly he sat down and held his head in his arms and wouldn’t move. For two or three hours he simply sat there.
But that wasn’t the bizarre part.
Because late that same night he borrowed a pistol, gripped it by the barrel, and used it like a hammer to break his own nose.
Afterward, he crossed the perimeter to Lee Strunk’s foxhole. He showed him what he’d done and asked if everything was square between them.
Strunk nodded and said, Sure, things were square.
But in the morning Lee Strunk couldn’t stop laughing.
“The man’s crazy,” he said. “I stole his fucking jackknife.”
Lesson 5- Handouts
Subtext Index Cards-
Lines From “Friends”
Read each line with the appropriate subtext on the back of the card.
Lesson 6 Storytelling: True or False?
| |Today we examine O’Brien’s theory of how to tell a true war story and judge whether or not “The |
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|Dentist” fits the criteria. We will also begin preparation for our “True War Story Newscast,” a |
| |three-lesson project that will have groups of students reporting the “True” Vietnam war in a news-show|
| |format. We will begin today, continue preparation and rehearsal in our next lesson, and the students |
| |will perform their broadcasts during the class after that. |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students will present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. True or False- Making a False Fact Sheet |
| |The class will discuss “How to Tell a True War Story” and share their journal responses. Together, we|
|What to do |will list O’Brien’s criteria for what a “true war story” is. We will then determine if “The Dentist” |
| |fits the criteria for a true war story. “False Fact Sheets” will be distributed and students will be |
| |broken into groups of five. (The same groups will be working together for the newscast performance.) |
| |The groups will use the criteria we determined to list “false facts” (things that aren’t necessarily |
| |factual, but qualify as true war stories) that they have observed in the novel so far. |
| |3. Casting Call |
| |Distribute “True War Story Newscast” Handout explaining the project. Students will remain in their |
| |groups and assign different roles for the newscast production (two anchor people, field reporter, “man|
| |on the street” interviewer, “man on the street”) |
| |One of the anchor people will keep the fact sheet the group has generated (this will serve as the |
| |content of the newscast.) The group will assign facts to each person to “cover” in the broadcast. |
| |The groups will decide how to arrange and present their show within a ten-minute time frame. The |
| |broadcast will be presented four class periods from today. |
| |The rest of the class time will be spent writing scripts, organizing reports, etc. |
| |4. Homework |
| |Students will read “Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong” and answer question 9 in their journals. |
| |The students have begun to ponder a central theme of the novel by determining what is “true” and what |
|How Did It Go? |isn’t in the novel and why it matters. They have started work on their own representation of |
| |O’Brien’s “true-but-not-really” war stories through the project. |
Lesson 6- Handouts
True War Story Newscast
For this assignment, you will work together in groups to produce and present a News Show about what Tim O’Brien would consider “true war stories.” We have listed his criteria for judging whether or not a story is a true war story and now it is your job as the cast and crew to put together a show based on other stories in the novel.
• First assign parts- two anchor people, a field reporter, a “man on the street” interviewer, and a “man on the street” interviewee.
• Next decide which stories you will cover on your show and who will cover them. You must cover four stories and may assign as many people as you would like to report them. (For example, an anchor-person could report one story, the field reporter could report another, or everybody can comment on all four stories)
• Make sure your stories include the five W’s: What, Where, When, Who, and Why.
• You will have one class (or most of it) (Monday) to decide on your roles and your stories and (most of) three more classes (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) to prepare, write, and rehearse your show. On our fifth class period (Friday), each group will perform their Newscast.
Your group must have a completed “False Fact Sheet” to present to me at the beginning of your broadcast. Each story must be initialed by me as successfully performed.
***Now the fun: Feel free to work together after school or during your free periods to plan your presentations. Use props, costumes, music, etc. to enhance your performance and earn extra credit.
REMEMBER, PERFORMANCES COUNT AS 30% OF YOUR FINAL GRADE!
Lesson 6- Handouts
“FALSE FACT SHEET”
|False Fact |Criteria Met/ Characteristics |Reporter(s) Assigned |Performance Initials |
| | | | |
|WHO? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHAT? | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|WHEN? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHERE? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHY? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHO? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHAT? | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|WHEN? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHERE? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHY? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHO? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHAT? | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|WHEN? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHERE? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHY? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHO? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHAT? | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|WHEN? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHERE? | | | |
| | | | |
|WHY? | | | |
Lesson 7 Mary Mary, Quite Contrary
| |Today we will discuss women’s role in the Vietnam War through research on the internet. We will |
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|investigate how many women were in Vietnam, what their roles were, and how the war affected them. |
| |Students will compare the real experiences of women in Vietnam to Mary Anne’s experience in the novel |
| |and discuss if her story is a “true” one according to O’Brien. |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students will present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. Mini KWL |
| |Brainstorm what students know and wish to know about women’s role in Vietnam. After compiling a class|
|What to do |KWL on the board, lead the students to the computer lab. |
| |3. In the Computer Lab |
| |Direct students to the website, that is dedicated to Women Vietnam |
| |Veterans. Distribute search guide and have students complete questions based on the website. |
| |4. How Does Her Garden Grow? |
| |After returning to the classroom, finish Mini KWL based on students’ completed search guides. Discuss|
| |the differences between the actual women who served in Vietnam and Mary Anne from “Sweetheart of the |
| |Song Tra Bong.” Is her story “true”? Does it matter? |
| |5. Staff Meeting |
| |Allow a few minutes at the end of the period for Newscast groups to meet and discuss their |
| |presentations. |
| |6. Homework |
| |Students will read “Stockings” and “Church” and answer questions 10 and 11 in their journals. |
| |Students learned about women’s roles in Vietnam and the impact the war had on them through internet |
|How Did It Go? |research and O’Brien’s story of Mary Anne. If their Mini KWL charts were a little more “coherent” |
| |than the ones they filled out on the first day of the unit, we’re making progress. |
Lesson 7- Handouts
Search Guide
Women played a large role in the Vietnam War although they are not widely recognized for their contributions. Answer these questions from researching the internet site, vwv/, a website dedicated to women Vietnam Veterans. As you browse, fill in your answers.
1. Summarize/ State the main idea of the poem, “Sister Soldier” (located on the website’s home page)
2. How many women (not including nurses) served in Vietnam (estimated)? Who were the first women to receive orders to Vietnam?
3. Explain who Pallas Athena is and why this is included in this website
4. What did Karen Offutt do to earn the Soldier’s Medal for Bravery in Vietnam? What was the reason given why she did not receive the medal in 1970?
5. How many WAC’s (Women’s Army Corps) died in Vietnam?
Lesson 8 How to Dress For Church: Ironically
| |Today we will compare and contrast “Stockings” and “Church” to discover the use of irony. We will |
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|listen to a popular music recording about irony and use a game show format while close reading to |
| |bring the concept into the students’ frame of reference. We will continue to work on Newscasts at the|
| |end of the class period. |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students will present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. Isn’t it Ironic?....... Don’t You Think? |
| |The class will begin by listening to a recording of Alanis Morissette’s song, “Ironic” and will be |
|What to do |given a lyrics sheet. After listening to the song, we will underline (or highlight) the ironies. |
| |3. “They’re Always After Me Lucky Charms”- Symbol Shout Out |
| |The class will close read “Stockings” and “Church” continuously in a Read Around. Students will list |
| |the lucky charms from the cereal on the board (green clovers, yellow moons, purple horseshoes, etc.) |
| |As we read, students who see an example of irony will shout out one of the lucky charms. (For |
| |example, Henry Dobbins carries his girlfriend’s stockings around his neck for luck, when we read that |
| |his girlfriend broke up with him, a student should shout, “Blue diamonds!!”) The student who shouts |
| |out a charm first will explain what the irony in the story is. |
| |4. Staff Meeting |
| |Allow time at the end of class for Newscast groups to meet and begin rehearsing their broadcasts. |
| |5. Homework |
| |Students will read “The Man I Killed” and “Ambush” and answer questions 12 and 13 in their journals. |
| |If the classroom sounded like a riotous breakfast table, the lesson was a success. By using popular |
|How Did It Go? |music and playing the cereal game show, the concept of irony was brought into the students’ frame of |
| |reference. |
Lesson 8- Handouts
Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic”
IRONIC
An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
And isn't it ironic... don't you think
Chorus:
It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures
Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids good-bye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well, isn't this nice." And isn't it ironic ... don't you think?
Repeat Chorus
Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's ok and everything’s going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up
In your face
A traffic jam when you're already late
And a no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
and then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic... don't you think
A little too ironic.. and yeah I really do think...
Repeat Chorus
Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
And life has a funny way of helping you out
helping you out
Lesson 9 The Dead Man Speaks, O’Brien Answers
| |Today we will discuss point of view by examining “The Man I Killed” and “Ambush” to determine who is |
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|telling the story in each and why O’Brien includes two versions of the same story back to back. |
| |Students will discover through a reading activity that “The Man I Killed” is told from the dead man’s |
| |point of view while “Ambush” is told from O’Brien’s point of view. We will also make final |
| |preparations for our Newscast presentations. |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students will present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. Who’s on First?-Split Read |
| |The class will have a short discussion about their journal entries for the chapters, “The Man I |
|What to do |Killed” and “Ambush” in order to introduce point of view. We will do a split-read activity in which |
| |the students are divided in half and the two groups sit facing each other. One group reads from “The |
| |Man I Killed” while the other reads from “Ambush.” All students from the “Ambush” side begin reading |
| |until the teacher stops them (a few sentences at a time). The other side then begins reading from |
| |“The Man I Killed” until they are stopped. We repeat this process until both chapters are finished. |
| |We then talk about the effect of layering the stories with distinct voices. |
| |3. Staff Meeting |
| |Allow time at the end of class for final preparation of Newscast presentations. |
| |Final preparations should be completed and groups should be ready to broadcast tomorrow. |
| |4. Homework |
| |Whoo Hoo, no homework! Students should practice their news reports in preparation for tomorrow’s |
| |class. |
| |This should have been an exciting lesson for the teacher, because there should have been an “aha!” |
|How Did It Go? |moment among the students. Light bulbs should have been going on all over the place during the |
| |split-read activity and students’ perceptions changed by determining point of view. Also, the |
| |excitement level should have been high today in anticipation for tomorrow’s performance. |
Lesson 10 Lights, Camera, Action!
| |Today is presentation day! Students will perform their mock-newscast of “true war stories” using |
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|O’Brien’s criteria set forth in “How to Tell a True War Story.” |
| |1. Rolling! |
| |Groups will give their performances today of their “False Fact” news reports. Groups should start |
| |their performance by submitting their False Fact Sheets so that the teacher can follow along with the |
| |performance and initial after all four facts have been reported. |
|What to do |The performances should be limited to ten minutes each so that all groups have an opportunity to |
| |broadcast. |
| |The class should give the news teams their full attention during performances and applaud when they |
| |are finished. |
| |2. Homework |
| |Students will read “Style,” “Speaking of Courage” and “Notes” and answer questions 14, 15 and 16 in |
| |their journals. |
| |Today’s class should have been fun for the students and rewarding for the teacher. The students have |
|How Did It Go? |been working hard at preparing their performances and should have been excited to present them to the |
| |class. It will be rewarding for the teacher to see that they understand the ideas of “fiction based |
| |on fact” and “true…no, I’m lying it’s not true” contradictions in the novel. |
Lesson 11 Courage: A Work In Progress
| |Today we will perform a Tableaux Vivant of the chapter, “Style” to figure out what it’s about as well |
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|as discuss O’Brien’s definition of courage and his explanation of his definition. Students will do a |
| |writing activity to illustrate their understanding of courage as well as O’Brien’s. |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students will present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. Tableaux Vivant |
| |Students will break into groups of seven (one narrator and six characters- including a dead body). In|
|What to do |their groups, students will assign character roles to perform a Tableaux Vivant of the scene presented|
| |in “Style.” The narrator will read the chapter while the characters behind him assemble into a |
| |“Living Picture” of it. The groups will perform their scenes after practicing for about 15 minutes. |
| |3. The Purple Badge of Courage |
| |The class will brainstorm what they think Tim O’Brien’s “definition” of courage is and compare it to |
| |the definition given in “On the Rainy River.” We will discuss how Norman Bowker fits into the chapter|
| |with leading questions (Why did O’Brien include excerpts from Norman’s letter in the chapter? What |
| |was more important to Norman: losing the purple heart or Kiowa’s death) |
| |4. Write about Writing |
| |Students will do a free-writing activity about a memory of being courageous (or lacking courage). |
| |They will then write for another few minutes about what they have just written. They will write an |
| |explanation for their writing and try to write statements that contradict what they have previously |
| |written. We will discuss why O’Brien does this same “after writing” in “Notes.” |
| |5. Homework |
| |Students will read “In the Field,” “Good Form” and “Field Trip” and answer questions 17, 18 and 19 in|
| |their journals. |
| |Our Living Pictures activity should have helped to explain what “Style” was about. If students had a |
|How Did It Go? |glazed look in their eye and seemed confused during their writing activity, the lesson went well. |
| |This should help them get an idea of O’Brien’s intentions of confusing his reader with contradictions |
| |and lies in order to reveal the truth. |
Lesson 12 Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire!
| |From our last lesson, students should have an idea of Tim O’Brien’s use of lies to get at truth. They|
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|will further understand this concept after today’s examination of “In the Field,” “Good Form” and |
| |“Field Trip.” We will do a game show activity to distinguish “story-truth” from “happening-truth” as |
| |O’Brien defines them in “Good Form.” |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students will present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. Read Around |
| |We will read “Good Form” as a class in a read around, stopping at punctuation marks. We will do this |
|What to do |two or three times so that we get the full impact of the contradictory statements in this chapter. |
| |3. Match Game |
| |From “Good Form,” we will attempt to formulate definitions of “story-truth” and “happening-truth” from|
| |O’Brien’s illustrations. Students will be given two cards each, one with “STORY-TRUTH” printed on it |
| |and one with “HAPPENING-TRUTH” printed on it. The teacher will read excerpts from “In The Field” and |
| |“Field Trip” aloud and stop after significant scenes, action sequences, or statements of fact. The |
| |students will hold up the card that they think best describes the scene and will be awarded points for|
| |the correct answer… |
| |Only the correct answer is up for debate! After randomly awarding points to students (no matter which|
| |card they hold up), they should start to realize that the game “isn’t fair” or a student may argue |
| |that he’s correct when he was told he had the wrong answer. This will lead to a class realization of |
| |O’Brien’s technique of mixing fact with fiction and a discussion about it. |
| |4. Homework |
| |Students will read “The Ghost Soldiers” and “Nightlife” and answer questions 20 and 21 in their |
| |journals. |
| |This should have been another “light bulb” lesson for students. As they become frustrated with the |
|How Did It Go? |random assignment of points in their game show activity, they will begin to connect O’Brien’s device |
| |of confusing and betraying the reader with false details in order to reveal larger truths. |
Lesson 12- Handouts
Match Game Cards
Lesson 13 Tim O’Brien: Master of Suspense
| |Today we will talk about the device of suspense in “The Ghost Soldiers” and the imagery of night used |
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|in both chapters. Students will engage in a “suspenseful” writing activity as a class that uses the |
| |images of nighttime, darkness, and general spookiness to tie in both “The Ghost Soldiers” and “Night |
| |Life.” Through this activity, they will understand O’Brien’s use of suspense and darkness. |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students will present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. Scary Stories- Discussion |
| |Give students five to ten minutes to go through “The Ghost Soldiers” and “Night Life” and jot down |
|What to do |dark, ghostly or mysterious images. We will use these lists to discuss O’Brien’s use of suspense and |
| |symbolism to portray the war, the enemy, and himself and his company’s soldiers. |
| |3. Scary Stories- Write Around |
| |Students will arrange their desks in a circle for this writing activity. Each student will have a |
| |turn to write a line or two to a story that is started by the teacher and passed around the circle. |
| |The story should be suspenseful and focused around dark imagery like ghosts and the night. The |
| |teacher will write the first line of the story (ex: “It was a dark and stormy night…”) and pass the |
| |paper to the first student. The student will add a line to the story and fold the paper so that only |
| |the lines he wrote are showing. The story continues around the circle until everyone has had a chance|
| |to write twice. |
| |The teacher then reads the story aloud. |
| |4. Homework |
| |Students will read “The Lives of the Dead” and answer question 22 in their journals. |
| |Students should have gotten a feel for the uncertain and scary atmosphere of the Vietnam war through |
|How Did It Go? |discussion and through their writing assignment. There should also be a connection made between dark |
| |imagery and the war as a device O’Brien uses to illustrate this atmosphere. |
Lesson 14 Releasing the Inner Child
| |Today we will discuss the final chapter of the book, “The Lives of the Dead.” We will identify |
|What’s On For Today And |allegories presented through the characters in this chapter and begin listening to Tim O’Brien’s |
|wHy? |speech, “Writing Vietnam” which the students will finish for homework. |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students will present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. Who’s Linda and Why is She Here?- Allegories |
| |Students will be asked to share their journal responses about the significance of the character Linda |
|What to do |(O’Brien’s childhood sweetheart) and her role in the last chapter (and in O’Brien’s life). This will |
| |lead to a class discussion on allegory and how it functions in this chapter to represent O’Brien’s loss|
| |of his pre-war innocence. |
| |We will also discuss other allegorical characters in the book (including O’Brien himself) and talk |
| |about how they relate to each other, O’Brien’s character, the novel as a whole and the Vietnam war. |
| |3. Web Activity- “Writing Vietnam” Speech |
| |After our discussion, students will begin listening to Tim O’Brien’s speech, “Writing Vietnam” in |
| |class. They will finish the speech for homework. |
| |4. Homework |
| |Students will go to the website, , |
| |and listen to the remainder of Tim O’Brien’s speech, “Writing Vietnam” and answer question 23 in their |
| |journals. |
| |Students should feel a sense of accomplishment as they finish the novel. They should be ready to begin|
|How Did It Go? |their final assignments and wrap up any discussion questions in the last class of the unit. Listening |
| |to O’Brien’s speech should give them further insight into the themes of the book and his intent in |
| |calling it “fiction based on fact.” |
Lesson 15 Happily Ever After?
| |Today we finish our novel unit on The Things They Carried with a final discussion of the major themes |
|What’s On For Today And wHy?|in the book. We will complete our KWL charts and discuss what we have learned. Students will be asked |
| |to share their last journal entry with the class as a way to close our unit. They will also |
| |participate in an activity that summarizes the novel in one word to provide the basis for thematic |
| |discussion. We will also go over the requirements for the final portfolio and the Webquest assignment|
| |will be given today. |
| |1. Journal Check |
| |Students will present their journal entries along with their question sheets for initialing. |
| |2. KWL Charts- Completion |
| |We will complete our KWL charts by filling in the “L” (What you have learned) column. We will discuss|
|What to do |all three columns and assess the knowledge that we had, wanted to have and now have as a result of the|
| |unit. |
| |3.Care to Share- Final Journal Entries |
| |The students will arrange their desks in a circle for our final discussion of the novel. As we go |
| |around the circle, each student will share their final journal entry with the rest of the class as a |
| |way to give closure to the book. |
| |4. One-Liners- Summaries |
| |After the students have shared their journal entries with each other, they will be asked to give a |
| |one-word summary of the novel. We will go around the circle and each student will give their |
| |one-liner and offer an explanation for their summary. This will provide the basis for a final |
| |discussion of themes in the novel. |
| |5. Homework |
| |We will discuss the guidelines, instructions and due dates for the Webquest and final portfolio |
| |assignments. Students will hand in the Webquest assignment in two days (assign on Friday, due on |
| |Monday) and their portfolios in one week. |
| |By sharing their final journal entries and their thoughts about the novel as a whole, students gave |
|How Did It Go? |closure to the unit. The one-liner activity should have demonstrated the students’ understanding of |
| |the major themes in the novel and their readiness to embark on final projects. |
Lesson 15- Handouts
Webquest Assignment
Welcome to your Webquest!
The Webquest on The Things They Carried consists of four tasks and a conclusion assignment. You are to complete all tasks thoroughly and hand them in (along with your conclusion assignment) in a separate folder in two days. (Assign on Friday, hand in on Monday)
Remember, the Webquest counts for 30% of your grade, so be careful to complete all the tasks thoroughly and check your work for accuracy.
The Webquest can be found at:
timobrienwebquest
If you need help with your Webquest over the weekend, you can email me at any time. My email address is: nic6818@.
Have fun and Good Luck!
-----------------------
Sections Covered in This Lesson: Pre-Reading Activity, Introduction to the Vietnam War, Gathering Students’ Background Knowledge
Sections Covered in This Lesson: “The Things They Carried”
Sections Covered in This Lesson: “Love” and “Spin”
Sections Covered in This Lesson: “On the Rainy River”
Sections Covered in This Lesson: “Enemies” and “Friends”
Sections Covered in This Lesson: “How to Tell a True War Story” and “The Dentist”
Sections Covered in This Lesson: “Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong,” Web Research Activity- Women in the Vietnam War, continue Newscast Project
Sections Covered in This Lesson: “Stockings” and “Church”
Sections Covered in This Lesson: “The Man I Killed” and “Ambush
Sections Covered in This Lesson: “Style,” “Speaking of Courage” and “Notes”
Sections Covered in This Lesson: “In the Field,” “Good Form” and “Field Trip”
Sections Covered in This Lesson: “The Ghost Soldiers” and “Night Life”
Sections Covered in This Lesson: “The Lives of the Dead,” Web Activity: “Writing Vietnam” a speech by Tim O’Brien
Sections Covered in This Lesson: Final Discussion of the novel as a whole, themes, complete KWL chart.
Sections Covered in This Lesson: Student Newscasts
(Front)
“Oh Jesus…Jesus man, don’t kill me”
(Back)
Subtext: I am sleepy
(Front)
“Really, it’s not so bad, Not terrible. Hey really—they can sew it back on—really”
(Back)
Subtext: “I am bored”
(Front)
“Right, I’ll bet they can”
(Back)
Subtext: “I am grouchy”
(Front)
“Don’t kill me…I’m serious”
(Back)
Subtext: “I am eating my favorite ice cream”
(Front)
“I won’t”
(Back)
Subtext: “I just won the lottery”
Story-Truth
Happening-Truth
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